Linda Spurr enjoys the simple things in life: family, friends, a home in the woods and pretty jewelry. Family and friends were cultivated in Kansas; the home she found in Black Forest, Colorado; and the jewelry is created by her husband, Don Spurr.Linda Spurr grew up in Bonner Springs, a small suburb of Kansas City, Kansas. She met her jewelry designer husband when, in high school, she worked at the Dari Dine ó the townís local burger joint. Spurr said she remembers the day a group of high school boys came in, and one, in particular, gave her a hard time. ìHe ordered all this food, and then refused to pay,î she said. ìI was this sassy, little thing who put her hands on her hips and said, ëWell, we will see about that.í And then I went and got the owner.î The owner happened to be the father of the young man who refused to pay, but the sassy Spurr and the jokester son became high school sweethearts; and married in 1966.Don Spurr graduated that same year and enlisted in the United States Navy. Shortly after, the Navy sent him to Vietnam; and, after he returned, the Spurrs were stationed in San Diego. ìWe were really impressed because they usually roll up the streets in Bonner at 5 p.m.,î she said. ìAnd in California, the grocery stores were open until midnight.î After six months in San Diego, in 1968, the Spurrs received orders to go to Charleston, North Carolina. The civil rights movement was in full force in North Carolina and across the country at the time. ìWe were on a curfew and had to be off the streets by 6 p.m.,î she said. ìIt was a bit of a tumultuous time.îIn 1969, the Spurrs returned to Kansas. Don studied art and jewelry design at a junior college while Spurr attended cosmetology school ó she also won several awards as a cosmetologist. Spurr eventually became the manager of an upscale national chain salon ó Glimby International Salon. Their son, David, was born in 1971, and a daughter, MaiLe, in 1974; after MaiLe, Spurr decided to split her time between work and being a stay-at-home mom. She worked six months in the salon and then stayed home with the kids for six months.In 1975, Don Spurr, who then worked for Kaye Jewelers, decided to join a friend on a trip to Colorado. He liked Colorado well enough to purchase 7.5 acres in Black Forest for $18,000; and, the following year, the couple moved to Colorado. But they only stayed a year because Don Spurr could not find work, so they went back to Kansas and Don went back to Kaye Jewelers.In the early 80s, Kaye Jewelers transferred Spurr to Colorado. The family returned, and bought 5 acres in Black Forest for $36,000, just two blocks from where they had previously lived. ìHe was the only jeweler in the Chapel Hills Mall for the first 14 years, after it opened,î Linda Spurr said. She had decided to work in real estate but found it difficult during a struggling economy. ìInterest rates were 16 percent, so it was very difficult to get people qualified,î she said. ìIt was when they started with adjustable rate mortgages, and I wouldnít sell them.î In the early 90s, Don Spurr left Kaye Jewelers and began working for independent jewelers. Linda Spurr went to work for Current in Colorado Springs, managing 35 to 125 (depending on the season) customer service representatives. After several years in middle management, Linda Spurr left the corporate scene.In 1997, Spurr encouraged her husband to start his own jewelry business. With no retail space available in Black Forest at the time, the Spurrs opened the Black Forest Jeweler in the back side of a garage on the corner of Shoup and Black Forest roads. ìDuring the first six months, we were opening a business, getting a daughter married and building a house ourselves,î she said. ìWe thought we were crazy at the time, but it was just life.î After one year, the Spurrs relocated their business to a nearby log cabin, and stayed there five years before moving to their current location at the Black Forest Square complex.ìDon does all the jewelry, and I do pretty much everything else,î Spurr said. ìI do the sales, the books, (I am) the janitor ó everything but (design or make) the jewelry.îSpurr describes their jewelry as ìunique affordable,î she said. Whether it is silver or gold, the jewelry her husband designs is oriented to the market and the customer. ìWe do whatever is trendy,î Spurr said. ìIf you want pink, we have pink. If you want turquoise, we can do turquoise.îSome jewelry available in the store is from other jewelry stores that have closed or gone out of business. About 30 percent of the jewelry in the store is designed and made by Don Spurr. They do not have a Website or social media presence. ìWe are pretty much computer illiterate,î Spurr said. ìMost of our advertising is done word of mouth.îIn 2013, the Spurrs faced two major challenges. During a self-exam, Spurr found a lump in her breast, and a medical exam confirmed cancer. Through the treatments, Spurr said her ìfaith and prayersî kept her going. ìI have a wonderful husband who was my doctor, confidant, nurse ó everything,î she said For the next year, Spurrís close friend, Jody Pheil, filled in for Spurr at the jewelry shop. ìOut of total friendship, she took nothing,î she said. ìShe gave everything of herself, and worked in my absence.îLater that same year, the Black Forest fire hit too close to home. Spurr said they spotted the plume of smoke from the front porch of their business. The fire came close and burned portions of the Spurrsí back acre, but their house was untouched, as was their jewelry store. ìWe lost seven houses on our street. It was all around us,î she said. ìOur place was like an oasis. It was green, and flowers were still blooming.îAfter the fire, Don refurbished burnt jewelry brought in by Black Forest residents directly affected by the fire. ìWe had a lot of tears of joy and tears of sadness in our shop,î Spurr said. ìJewelry is a very sentimental thing to people, and every piece of jewelry has a story.îOutside of the jewelry business, the Spurrs enjoy going to car shows, and Linda Spurr creates stained glass art in her spare time. They are not ready to retire from the business. ìWe will do this as long as we want to, and then we will quit,î she said. ìOr until we win the lottery.î
